Why Racism Still Matters in Today’s World

There is no gainsaying the fact that racism has been a part of human history since time immemorial. It often stems out of a tendency to create stereotypes on the basis of race, colour, nationality, religion and other factors. The theme of racism got a renewed attention recently with the viral picture of the English Under-20 football team that showed the players sharply divided across colour lines in their mid-day meal (Picture below).

As if that was not enough, other pictures emerged of the split in swimming practices etc. of the same team. While some have criticized some media houses of making a mountain out of a molehill, others have wondered how we are breeding a generation to further sharpen the divisions and some few have been given a rude reminder that we are still far from uhuru as far as the fight against racism is concerned.

Without attempting to revisit the obvious, several media houses were agog recently with coverage of what seems to be a witch-hunting of the blacks in America. The rider that should follow is that this is the United States of America whose history of independence was hinged upon the quest for a free world and liberal state. It appears that the dummy the rest of the world have bought into is that a black man in Barack Obama has been elected, thus, dealing a fatal blow to the subject. However, the statistics shows that the abuse along racial lines have skyrocketed over the past few years in the last decade. There are those who have blamed President Barack Obama for not doing enough on the subject given his strategic position. The criticism might be founded but not properly situated. The truth is that a black president championing the racism battle is a profound error. However, the misdeeds are not just limited to the United States or the United Kingdom, the rest of the world has simply not done enough.

The recent cases of racial abuse in America and the rest of the world are too numerous to rehash here. However, what these events reminded us of is that the divisions of racism have taken new dimensions. While the days of rampant verbal abuse or gruesome genocide killings tied to race might have been put behind us, the manifestations have taken some dangerous forms that if not given the needed attention, might snowball into a major trouble. To insist that we should all move on and not open old wounds is the crux of the problem. Without stretching the truth, most of the efforts that have been adduced to eliminating the cankerworm have been largely lip-service. It is the kind of reaction that pretends to be doing something by putting it in our faces via sporting events and hashtags but with the fundamentals unattended to. The divisions across religious, political and economic lines in today’s society have further compounded the subject. It is fitting to note here that the challenges of racism in today’s world are not peculiar but must be attacked head-on with renewed vigour.

Race still matters in today’s world and that is majorly because the real questions to be addressed remain elusive from public discourse. The fundamental question is what will make a man dislike another man because of his decent, habits or way of life? It is that seat of thought that more than anything else, needs fixing. While skin colour is a major part of the race discourse, it is by no means restricted to it. It cuts across several factors. However, history tells us that skin colour and nationality differences have been the crux of the subject. From the Holocaust to the Apartheid, nothing aptly tells the story than this. Racism is worse than being tagged a second class citizen. It is deeper than a mere public debate, but we must revisit the conversation with a measure of sheer honesty and be ready to place no barrier on the discourse boundaries. We might never reach Eldorado on the subject but we can gain traction and genuine mileage beyond just rhetoric.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

So I found this top 10 book recommendations to read before 30. Coincidentally, I have read all of these books, and wow, they make for a fantastic read any day!

1. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck – Pretty much the granddaddy of all self-improvement books, it’s easily one of the best nonfiction works I’ve ever read. By melding love, science and spirituality into a primer for personal growth, Peck guides the reader through lessons on delaying gratification, accepting responsibility for decisions, dedicating oneself to truth and reality, and creating a balanced lifestyle.

2. Getting Things Done by David Allen – The ultimate ‘organize your life’ book. Allen’s ideas and processes are for all those people who are overwhelmed with too many things to do, too little time to do them, and a general sense of unease that something important is being missed. The primary goal of this book is to teach you how to effectively get your ‘to-do inbox’ to empty.

Today, I will like to share with you three pivotal organizations that have oiled the wheel of my personal development over the past few years. These organizations are entirely not exclusive to a select few and have nothing to do with your job. I like to think of them as credible ‘pass time.’ To avoid all doubt, the list is by no means exhaustive. However, the goal is that this will make someone want to be a part of any of these three. Let’s go!

1. Toastmasters
Arguably the best association I have been a part of over the past few years. Toastmasters International is a place that provides a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth. With its headquarters in the United States, there are about 16,000 clubs in over 140 countries of the world. I have learnt that by just having the gift of speaking, and exuding confidence while at…

“Your judgement of other people say more about you than the people that you are judging” – Mhar

At times in life, you don’t always have to air your opinion. You don’t always have to want to prove a point. There are times when accepting feedback and keeping your opinion to yourself saves you from today’s problems and tomorrow’s challenges.

Everywhere we go, someone in our life has an opinion of something we are or are not doing. An opinion on why someone is too young to have kids, but too old to be single. An opinion on why going to University is a waste of money or why not going at all will ruin your life. An opinion on whether you should live with your significant ‘other’ while dating or remain completely solo until married. Do you want me to keep going? I could probably sit here all day making a litany of things people will always have an opinion about. You have life experiences and you want to share the ‘wisdom’ you believe you have acquired. I am not saying it’s a terrible thing,…